Buhari seeks confirmation of Gen. Yahaya as COAS

Andrew Orolua, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has forwarded a letter to the National Assembly, seeking for the confirmation of Farouk Yahaya as Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

The defence headquarters had on May 27 announced President Buhari’ s approval of Gen. Yahaya’s appointment in a statement issued and signed by the acting Director of Defence Information (DDI) Brigadier-General Onyema Nwachukwu.

The appointment followed the death of the former Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru who died along with ten other officers in a plane crash near Kaduna International Airport.

Reading the Buhari’s letter during plenary today, the Senate President Ahmad Lawan said the president is asking for an expeditious consideration in the confirmation of Yahaya.

If his appointment is confirmed Yahaya will become the 22nd substantiative Chief of Army Staff. He had assumed duty and promised to build on the efforts of the late Gen. Attahiru in tackling insecurity in the country.

Farouk Yahaya was born on January 5, 1966. He joined the Nigerian Army as a cadet of Nigerian Defence Academy Course 37. On graduation he was commissioned second lieutenant and rose to the rank of a Major General before his appointment.